Hello everyone. After reading and researching TSM I am convinced that it's the way to go and I was finally able to procure the meds (not easy!) which arrived last night. I am nervous but also really excited about the idea of being able to control my drinking. I have not hit "rock bottom" but after 10+ years of consuming 3-4 "handles" of vodka a week (all at night after work and on the weekends) I am starting to notice a rapid deterioration of my mind and body. I have a beautiful loving wife, successful career, etc but I live in a constant state of anxiety and fear that any day I could jeapordize everything because of my drinking habits. Knock on wood, the only thing that has happened because my drinking is weight gain and loss of brain cells, but I pretty much black myself out 7 nights a week to go to sleep (for 10+ years) and wake up every morning worried that I have said something to a family member that I didn't mean or sent out an inappropriate email to an employee or client.

I split my first NAL pill in half this evening after reading about potential side effects before I left my office for home and after 2 hours I'm feeling fine and will move to full 50mgs tomorrow. I downloaded and read Dr. Eskapa's book cover-to-cover and also hundreds of posts to this forum and after doing so I am very optimistic that I'll be posting a success story on this site by this time next year.

Best wishes to everyone!

Jimmy

Welcome, Jimmy! Glad to hear you got started on TSM and we hope you'll keep us filled in on your progress.

Mindful drinking is a great "upgrade" to TSM that wasn't covered in the book, so practice listening for when your brain starts to lose interest in the next drink, seize the moment and stop drinking for the night. I'd suggest going with the flow otherwise and don't try to force your numbers down too fast.

Do you have a drink log? You can download a spreadsheet and graph here:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... graph-tool

Thank you. I will happily keep the group updated with my progress. I appreciate the link and will start keeping a tracker as it seems like a key theme in staying on track.

Welcome Jimmy - glad that your first dose caused you no issues! I am pleased that you have read the book - I think it is a good idea as that way you know what to expect and why! the only thing that I feel the book is wrong in suggesting is the time that it takes to be 'cured'. Also everyone seems to have a 'cure' mean a different thing. I just cannot bring myself to drink at all - and sometimes I wish I could. others still drink daily but do have way more control over it. It took me 11 months to the day .... way longer than the books estimated 3-4 months! Have faith and patience .....

Hugs, Maggie